Which has preferable earnings and valuation, MRK or AMGN?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Amgen. Amgen is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 4.50 $18.25B $3.55 33.38 Amgen $36.75B 4.95 $7.71B $14.37 23.44

Is MRK or AMGN more profitable?

Amgen has a net margin of 20.96% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 13.59%. Amgen's return on equity of 137.41% beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Merck & Co., Inc. 13.59% 27.55% 10.73% Amgen 20.96% 137.41% 13.28%

Does the media prefer MRK or AMGN?

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 26 more articles in the media than Amgen. MarketBeat recorded 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 28 mentions for Amgen. Amgen's average media sentiment score of 1.27 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 1.14 indicating that Amgen is being referred to more favorably in the news media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Merck & Co., Inc. 36 Very Positive mention(s) 5 Positive mention(s) 6 Neutral mention(s) 4 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Amgen 22 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 3 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 1 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Which has preferable valuation and earnings, GILD or MRK?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Gilead Sciences. Gilead Sciences is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Gilead Sciences $29.44B 5.67 $8.51B $7.34 18.31 Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 4.50 $18.25B $3.55 33.38

Does the media refer more to GILD or MRK?

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 17 more articles in the media than Gilead Sciences. MarketBeat recorded 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 37 mentions for Gilead Sciences. Gilead Sciences' average media sentiment score of 1.47 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 1.14 indicating that Gilead Sciences is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Gilead Sciences 32 Very Positive mention(s) 2 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 1 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Merck & Co., Inc. 36 Very Positive mention(s) 5 Positive mention(s) 6 Neutral mention(s) 4 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Which has better valuation & earnings, MRNA or MRK?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Moderna. Moderna is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Moderna $1.94B 9.63 -$2.82B -$8.15 N/A Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 4.50 $18.25B $3.55 33.38

Is MRNA or MRK more profitable?

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 13.59% compared to Moderna's net margin of -143.55%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 27.55% beat Moderna's return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Moderna -143.55% -26.64% -19.32% Merck & Co., Inc. 13.59% 27.55% 10.73%

Does the media favor MRNA or MRK?

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 49 more articles in the media than Moderna. MarketBeat recorded 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 5 mentions for Moderna. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.14 beat Moderna's score of 0.32 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Moderna 1 Very Positive mention(s) 1 Positive mention(s) 1 Neutral mention(s) 0 Negative mention(s) 1 Very Negative mention(s) Neutral Merck & Co., Inc. 36 Very Positive mention(s) 5 Positive mention(s) 6 Neutral mention(s) 4 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Does the media refer more to VRTX or MRK?

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 24 more articles in the media than Vertex Pharmaceuticals. MarketBeat recorded 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 30 mentions for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Vertex Pharmaceuticals' average media sentiment score of 1.21 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 1.14 indicating that Vertex Pharmaceuticals is being referred to more favorably in the media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment Vertex Pharmaceuticals 21 Very Positive mention(s) 3 Positive mention(s) 3 Neutral mention(s) 1 Negative mention(s) 0 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Merck & Co., Inc. 36 Very Positive mention(s) 5 Positive mention(s) 6 Neutral mention(s) 4 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Which has higher valuation and earnings, ABBV or MRK?

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than AbbVie. Merck & Co., Inc. is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than AbbVie, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Company Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio AbbVie $61.16B 6.29 $4.23B $2.03 107.30 Merck & Co., Inc. $65.01B 4.50 $18.25B $3.55 33.38

Is ABBV or MRK more profitable?

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 13.59% compared to AbbVie's net margin of 5.79%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 27.55% beat AbbVie's return on equity. Company Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets AbbVie 5.79% -576.45% 13.39% Merck & Co., Inc. 13.59% 27.55% 10.73%

Does the media prefer ABBV or MRK?

In the previous week, AbbVie had 1 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 55 mentions for AbbVie and 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.14 beat AbbVie's score of 1.06 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media. Company Very Positive Positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Overall Sentiment AbbVie 37 Very Positive mention(s) 7 Positive mention(s) 7 Neutral mention(s) 3 Negative mention(s) 1 Very Negative mention(s) Positive Merck & Co., Inc. 36 Very Positive mention(s) 5 Positive mention(s) 6 Neutral mention(s) 4 Negative mention(s) 2 Very Negative mention(s) Positive

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Competitors

$118.49 -1.40 (-1.17%)

Closing price 05/29/2026 03:59 PM Eastern

Extended Trading

$118.84 +0.34 (+0.29%)

As of 05/29/2026 07:53 PM Eastern

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MRK vs. AMGN, GILD, MRNA, VRTX, and ABBV

Should you buy Merck & Co., Inc. stock or one of its competitors? MarketBeat compares Merck & Co., Inc. with other companies and stocks that may be similar based on industry, sector, market capitalization, business model, investor interest, or shared news coverage. Companies and stocks commonly compared with Merck & Co., Inc. include Amgen (AMGN), Gilead Sciences (GILD), Moderna (MRNA), Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), and AbbVie (ABBV). These companies are all part of the "medical" sector.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Amgen?

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) and Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) are both large-cap medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, risk, earnings, valuation, media sentiment and analyst recommendations.

76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.5% of Amgen shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.9% of Amgen shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.18, suggesting that its share price is 82% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Amgen has a beta of 0.44, suggesting that its share price is 56% less volatile than the broader market.

Merck & Co., Inc. currently has a consensus price target of $128.18, suggesting a potential upside of 8.17%. Amgen has a consensus price target of $355.19, suggesting a potential upside of 5.46%. Given Merck & Co., Inc.'s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Merck & Co., Inc. is more favorable than Amgen.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	7 Hold rating(s)	11 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.68
Amgen	2 Sell rating(s)	14 Hold rating(s)	13 Buy rating(s)	2 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.48

Amgen has a net margin of 20.96% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 13.59%. Amgen's return on equity of 137.41% beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Merck & Co., Inc.	13.59%	27.55%	10.73%
Amgen	20.96%	137.41%	13.28%

Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.9%. Amgen pays an annual dividend of $10.08 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.0%. Merck & Co., Inc. pays out 95.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Amgen pays out 70.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Merck & Co., Inc. has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years and Amgen has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years. Amgen is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Amgen. Amgen is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	4.50	$18.25B	$3.55	33.38
Amgen	$36.75B	4.95	$7.71B	$14.37	23.44

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 26 more articles in the media than Amgen. MarketBeat recorded 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 28 mentions for Amgen. Amgen's average media sentiment score of 1.27 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 1.14 indicating that Amgen is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Merck & Co., Inc.	36 Very Positive mention(s)	5 Positive mention(s)	6 Neutral mention(s)	4 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Amgen	22 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	3 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	1 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Summary

Amgen beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 13 of the 19 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Gilead Sciences?

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, analyst recommendations, dividends, risk, profitability, institutional ownership and media sentiment.

Gilead Sciences currently has a consensus target price of $156.93, suggesting a potential upside of 16.73%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus target price of $128.18, suggesting a potential upside of 8.17%. Given Gilead Sciences' stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe Gilead Sciences is more favorable than Merck & Co., Inc..

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Gilead Sciences	0 Sell rating(s)	4 Hold rating(s)	25 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.86
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	7 Hold rating(s)	11 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.68

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 17 more articles in the media than Gilead Sciences. MarketBeat recorded 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 37 mentions for Gilead Sciences. Gilead Sciences' average media sentiment score of 1.47 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 1.14 indicating that Gilead Sciences is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Gilead Sciences	32 Very Positive mention(s)	2 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	1 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Merck & Co., Inc.	36 Very Positive mention(s)	5 Positive mention(s)	6 Neutral mention(s)	4 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

Gilead Sciences has a beta of 0.31, suggesting that its stock price is 69% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.18, suggesting that its stock price is 82% less volatile than the broader market.

83.7% of Gilead Sciences shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by institutional investors. 0.3% of Gilead Sciences shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Gilead Sciences pays an annual dividend of $3.28 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.4%. Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.9%. Gilead Sciences pays out 44.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Merck & Co., Inc. pays out 95.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Gilead Sciences has increased its dividend for 10 consecutive years and Merck & Co., Inc. has increased its dividend for 14 consecutive years. Merck & Co., Inc. is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Gilead Sciences has a net margin of 30.99% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 13.59%. Gilead Sciences' return on equity of 48.19% beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Gilead Sciences	30.99%	48.19%	18.28%
Merck & Co., Inc.	13.59%	27.55%	10.73%

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Gilead Sciences. Gilead Sciences is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Gilead Sciences	$29.44B	5.67	$8.51B	$7.34	18.31
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	4.50	$18.25B	$3.55	33.38

Summary

Gilead Sciences beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 13 of the 20 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Moderna?

Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, risk, earnings, profitability, media sentiment, valuation and analyst recommendations.

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 49 more articles in the media than Moderna. MarketBeat recorded 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 5 mentions for Moderna. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.14 beat Moderna's score of 0.32 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Moderna	1 Very Positive mention(s)	1 Positive mention(s)	1 Neutral mention(s)	0 Negative mention(s)	1 Very Negative mention(s)	Neutral
Merck & Co., Inc.	36 Very Positive mention(s)	5 Positive mention(s)	6 Neutral mention(s)	4 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

75.3% of Moderna shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by institutional investors. 10.8% of Moderna shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Moderna has a beta of 1.05, meaning that its stock price is 5% more volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.18, meaning that its stock price is 82% less volatile than the broader market.

Moderna currently has a consensus price target of $35.73, indicating a potential downside of 24.28%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus price target of $128.18, indicating a potential upside of 8.17%. Given Merck & Co., Inc.'s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Merck & Co., Inc. is more favorable than Moderna.

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Moderna	5 Sell rating(s)	12 Hold rating(s)	2 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	1.84
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	7 Hold rating(s)	11 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.68

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 13.59% compared to Moderna's net margin of -143.55%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 27.55% beat Moderna's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Moderna	-143.55%	-26.64%	-19.32%
Merck & Co., Inc.	13.59%	27.55%	10.73%

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Moderna. Moderna is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Moderna	$1.94B	9.63	-$2.82B	-$8.15	N/A
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	4.50	$18.25B	$3.55	33.38

Summary

Merck & Co., Inc. beats Moderna on 14 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, media sentiment, analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability and risk.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals currently has a consensus target price of $555.91, indicating a potential upside of 24.22%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus target price of $128.18, indicating a potential upside of 8.17%. Given Vertex Pharmaceuticals' stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Vertex Pharmaceuticals is more favorable than Merck & Co., Inc..

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	0 Sell rating(s)	3 Hold rating(s)	22 Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.88
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	7 Hold rating(s)	11 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.68

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a net margin of 35.51% compared to Merck & Co., Inc.'s net margin of 13.59%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 27.55% beat Vertex Pharmaceuticals' return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	35.51%	23.86%	17.13%
Merck & Co., Inc.	13.59%	27.55%	10.73%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 0.3, indicating that its stock price is 70% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.18, indicating that its stock price is 82% less volatile than the broader market.

In the previous week, Merck & Co., Inc. had 24 more articles in the media than Vertex Pharmaceuticals. MarketBeat recorded 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc. and 30 mentions for Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Vertex Pharmaceuticals' average media sentiment score of 1.21 beat Merck & Co., Inc.'s score of 1.14 indicating that Vertex Pharmaceuticals is being referred to more favorably in the media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	21 Very Positive mention(s)	3 Positive mention(s)	3 Neutral mention(s)	1 Negative mention(s)	0 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Merck & Co., Inc.	36 Very Positive mention(s)	5 Positive mention(s)	6 Neutral mention(s)	4 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

91.0% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Merck & Co., Inc., indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$12.00B	9.46	$3.95B	$16.86	26.54
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	4.50	$18.25B	$3.55	33.38

Summary

Vertex Pharmaceuticals beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 11 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to AbbVie?

AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) are both large-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, dividends, valuation, profitability, earnings, institutional ownership and media sentiment.

In the previous week, AbbVie had 1 more articles in the media than Merck & Co., Inc.. MarketBeat recorded 55 mentions for AbbVie and 54 mentions for Merck & Co., Inc.. Merck & Co., Inc.'s average media sentiment score of 1.14 beat AbbVie's score of 1.06 indicating that Merck & Co., Inc. is being referred to more favorably in the news media.

Company	Very Positive	Positive	Neutral	Negative	Very Negative	Overall Sentiment
AbbVie	37 Very Positive mention(s)	7 Positive mention(s)	7 Neutral mention(s)	3 Negative mention(s)	1 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive
Merck & Co., Inc.	36 Very Positive mention(s)	5 Positive mention(s)	6 Neutral mention(s)	4 Negative mention(s)	2 Very Negative mention(s)	Positive

70.2% of AbbVie shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 76.1% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.1% of AbbVie shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Merck & Co., Inc. shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Merck & Co., Inc. has higher revenue and earnings than AbbVie. Merck & Co., Inc. is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than AbbVie, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Company	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
AbbVie	$61.16B	6.29	$4.23B	$2.03	107.30
Merck & Co., Inc.	$65.01B	4.50	$18.25B	$3.55	33.38

AbbVie has a beta of 0.32, indicating that its share price is 68% less volatile than the broader market. Comparatively, Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.18, indicating that its share price is 82% less volatile than the broader market.

AbbVie pays an annual dividend of $6.92 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.2%. Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.9%. AbbVie pays out 340.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Merck & Co., Inc. pays out 95.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. AbbVie has raised its dividend for 53 consecutive years and Merck & Co., Inc. has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years. AbbVie is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

AbbVie currently has a consensus price target of $253.43, indicating a potential upside of 16.34%. Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus price target of $128.18, indicating a potential upside of 8.17%. Given AbbVie's stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe AbbVie is more favorable than Merck & Co., Inc..

Company	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
AbbVie	0 Sell rating(s)	6 Hold rating(s)	16 Buy rating(s)	3 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.88
Merck & Co., Inc.	0 Sell rating(s)	7 Hold rating(s)	11 Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2.68

Merck & Co., Inc. has a net margin of 13.59% compared to AbbVie's net margin of 5.79%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s return on equity of 27.55% beat AbbVie's return on equity.

Company	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
AbbVie	5.79%	-576.45%	13.39%
Merck & Co., Inc.	13.59%	27.55%	10.73%

Summary

AbbVie beats Merck & Co., Inc. on 11 of the 20 factors compared between the two stocks.

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New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

This chart shows the number of new MarketBeat users adding MRK and its top 5 competitors to their watchlist. Each company is represented with a line over a 90 day period.

Media Sentiment Over Time

This chart shows the average media sentiment of NYSE and its competitors over the past 90 days as caculated by MarketBeat. The averaged score is equivalent to the following: Very Negative Sentiment <= -1.5, Negative Sentiment > -1.5 and <= -0.5, Neutral Sentiment > -0.5 and < 0.5, Positive Sentiment >= 0.5 and < 1.5, and Very Positive Sentiment >= 1.5.

MRK vs. The Competition

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Metric	Merck & Co., Inc.	Large Cap Pharma Industry	Medical Sector	NYSE Exchange
Market Cap	$293.22B	$222.46B	$5.96B	$22.74B
Dividend Yield	2.86%	2.76%	2.69%	4.08%
P/E Ratio	33.38	27.39	21.63	30.62
Price / Sales	4.50	4.91	626.55	15.47
Price / Cash	10.39	13.10	43.22	25.14
Price / Book	6.37	7.30	10.55	4.79
Net Income	$18.25B	$11.61B	$3.56B	$1.07B
7 Day Performance	-3.31%	-1.32%	2.85%	1.14%
1 Month Performance	8.38%	1.71%	4.59%	1.26%
1 Year Performance	54.17%	22.60%	37.62%	28.06%

Merck & Co., Inc. Competitors List

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Company	MarketRank	Share Price	Analysts' Price Target	1Y Price Performance	Market Cap	Revenue	P/E Ratio	Employee Count	Indicator(s)
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.	4.369 of 5 stars	$118.49 -1.2%	$128.18 +8.2%	+54.2%	$293.22B	$65.01B	33.38	75,000	Trending News Dividend Announcement High Trading Volume
AMGN Amgen	4.2209 of 5 stars	$339.30 flat	$355.19 +4.7%	+17.3%	$183.11B	$36.75B	23.61	31,500	Positive News
GILD Gilead Sciences	4.761 of 5 stars	$134.36 flat	$156.93 +16.8%	+21.8%	$166.82B	$29.44B	18.31	17,000	Positive News Analyst Downgrade
MRNA Moderna	1.4911 of 5 stars	$46.88 flat	$35.73 -23.8%	+77.7%	$18.60B	$1.94B	N/A	4,700	Analyst Forecast
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals	4.5414 of 5 stars	$434.52 flat	$555.17 +27.8%	+1.0%	$110.28B	$12.00B	25.77	6,400	Positive News Analyst Forecast

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This page (NYSE:MRK) was last updated on 5/31/2026 by MarketBeat.com Staff.

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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Competitors

MRK vs. AMGN, GILD, MRNA, VRTX, and ABBV

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Amgen?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Gilead Sciences?

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How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Moderna?

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How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

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MRK vs. The Competition

Merck & Co., Inc. Competitors List

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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Competitors

MRK vs. AMGN, GILD, MRNA, VRTX, and ABBV

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Amgen?

Do institutionals and insiders believe in MRK or AMGN?

Which has more risk & volatility, MRK or AMGN?

Do analysts recommend MRK or AMGN?

Is MRK or AMGN more profitable?

Is MRK or AMGN a better dividend stock?

Which has preferable earnings and valuation, MRK or AMGN?

Does the media prefer MRK or AMGN?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Gilead Sciences?

Do analysts recommend GILD or MRK?

Does the media refer more to GILD or MRK?

Which has more risk and volatility, GILD or MRK?

Do insiders & institutionals have more ownership in GILD or MRK?

Is GILD or MRK a better dividend stock?

Is GILD or MRK more profitable?

Which has preferable valuation and earnings, GILD or MRK?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Moderna?

Does the media favor MRNA or MRK?

Do institutionals & insiders have more ownership in MRNA or MRK?

Which has more volatility and risk, MRNA or MRK?

Do analysts rate MRNA or MRK?

Is MRNA or MRK more profitable?

Which has better valuation & earnings, MRNA or MRK?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to Vertex Pharmaceuticals?

Do analysts recommend VRTX or MRK?

Is VRTX or MRK more profitable?

Which has more volatility & risk, VRTX or MRK?

Does the media refer more to VRTX or MRK?

Do insiders and institutionals hold more shares of VRTX or MRK?

Which has higher earnings & valuation, VRTX or MRK?

Summary

How does Merck & Co., Inc. compare to AbbVie?

Does the media prefer ABBV or MRK?

Do institutionals & insiders have more ownership in ABBV or MRK?

Which has higher valuation and earnings, ABBV or MRK?

Which has more risk and volatility, ABBV or MRK?

Is ABBV or MRK a better dividend stock?

Do analysts prefer ABBV or MRK?

Is ABBV or MRK more profitable?

Summary

New MarketBeat Followers Over Time

Media Sentiment Over Time

MRK vs. The Competition

Merck & Co., Inc. Competitors List

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